I saw it displayed in a few temples in Thailand and I managed to find it online, but can't remember where I did now and wherever that was it didn't give anymore information about it.

It looks like a woman, but there are many examples of figures being androgynous in such artwork, so I wouldn't swear to the sex of the figure. And also it looks like a photograph, but could easily be a combination of photo and artwork or photorealistic art.

If my poor memory serves me right, I recall this being discussed in the now defunct E-Sangha and most of the respondents were denouncing it as a hoax or questioning its origins...

Somebody took a pic, if I am not mistaken in one of the sacred places of Buddhist pilgrimage, near a Bodhi Tree and instead of the place being captured on photo, this image appeared, something to this effect, if I recall this story correctly.

Authenticity?

I tried googling for details but nothing has showed up...I think there was a thread in here before with the similar pic but can't recall the title of the discussion...

Bhikkhus, if you develop and make much this one thing, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction. What is it? It is recollecting the Enlightened One. If this single thing is recollected and made much, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction.Anguttara-Nikaya: Ekanipata: Ekadhammapali: PañhamavaggaVSMVMMWBBTBHTWTBTMy Page

Go to this website, scroll to almost the end, watch the video In Search – Ghosts in Photography and just below that is: ‘’There exists a curious image of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. It was reputedly taken or at least discovered in Bodhgaya, India, in 1980. A devotee, it is said, was photographing the site of Shakyamuni's ("Sage of the Shakyas") great enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The image, not seen at the time of photographing, subsequently appeared on the film.

It is an image of a very comely young meditator with a top knot, robe, and almost cosmetic details. The photograph has not been widely circulated. It may inspire the faithful or arouse doubt. One copy hangs at the Bhavana Society, a Theravadan monastery/nunnery in West Virginia, for all to see.’’

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

I can't help but feel that all those claims are false - no proof has ever been made. There've been a lot of charlatans and lots who will only manage to perform their miracles when there are no controls in place. This must say something.

Even if the image is 'supposed' to be the ghost of the Buddha and I'm afraid I can't believe this, the beautiful image itself is something I admire.

Hi, Chris, This seems to have been removed - I got a 'could not complete your request' response when clicking on it and again when searching on 'Nimoy'.But I'm not one of those in whom such things arouse faith, so perhaps it's only visible to believers

I seem to remember someone on E-sangha using this as his avatar (the Buddha image, I mean, not the naked ladies!) If I could toggle a few synapses maybe the name will come back to me... A Theravadin, at any rate.